1. Technical Field
This invention relates to automotive vehicle seats and, more particularly, to rear seats for vans or station wagons which are stored below the surface of the vehicle's floor. The invention also relates to a method of adjusting this seat from an operative to an inoperative position.
2. Discussion
Automotive vehicles, such as vans, station wagons and recreation vehicles, are purchased often times for their carrying capacity. This carrying capacity includes both the transportation of passengers and the transportation of various sizes and amounts of cargo. For this reason, many of these vehicles are provided with one or more retractable seats which enable increased storage capacity when there is a limited number of passengers.
A major drawback with many of the retractable seats presently available is that the separate manipulation of multiple parts is often required in order to achieve full retraction of the vehicle seat. For example, the seat portion must first be displaced by folding the seat cushions or completely removing them. Secondly, some manipulation of the backrest is then required by folding, rearranging or completing removing the backrest. Lastly, the bracket or leg members must then be displaced below the level of the floor.
Prior art has shown retractable vehicle seat members which fold into a seat storage compartment. One such example is U.S. Pat. No. 3,202,453. This patent illustrates a seat assembly which may be stored within a storage compartment. The seat is designed to fold rearward into the storage compartment. However, this rearward folding tends to require extensive manipulation.